Friday, October 12, 2007

Maa Tarini is the Forest Goddess that every Oriya retorts to in the time of need…when all hopes fade away, one goddess will come to your rescue-Maa Tarini of Ghatgaon (Ghatagaon).Anecdote is that King of Kendujhar was bringing Tarini Maa from Puri to Kendujhar. But Goddess in the beginning of journey warned the King that if King will turn back and look at the Goddess then she wouldn’t proceed further. So, the journey started. King was riding a horse and Goddess was following her to Kendujhar. King could make out from the Jhum Jhum sounds of the Goddess’ ornaments that she was accompanying him. Suddenly near thick forests of Ghatgaon, the sound stopped. King stopped over there and turned his head to see whether Tarini Maa was there or not. This was the mistake he committed. Tarini Maa vanished. She made Ghatgaon her new home. This way she came from Puri to Ghatgaon.

Main Entrance of Maa Tarini Temple,Ghatagaon

Situated amongst thick Sal forests on NH 215 and about 70 k.ms from Panikoili and 40 kms from Kendujhar is Ghatgaon. It’s in Anandpur Subdivision.

NH 215 passes through the thick forests of Kendujhar

Inside the temple-Maa Tarini

There are few things quite famous about Ghatgaon- Nadiakora(Coconut Sweets) and the way Coconuts reach Ghatgaon from various parts of Orissa.Suppose a devotee wants to send a Coconut to be offered to the deity from as far as Koraput..then he need not worry. Fastest and the most efficient courier service and that too free of cost is available in Orissa. The devotee needs to give that coconut to any long distance Bus. The Bus driver will carry the coconut to the nearest possible place of Ghatgaon on his route. From there another bus will carry that Coconut in the same way. Finally busses going directly towards Ghatgaon will drop the coconut at the Temple.No bus driver will charge or even say “No” for rendering this service. By default any coconut that is offered to a Bus driver will reach Ghatagaon safely. DHL & Fed Ex –is this service comparable with yours????

Bus Carrying Coconuts from devotees and delivering at Ghatagaon

There are so many Coconuts reaching Ghatgaon-Maa Tarini temple that temple authorities are making best use by giving them to local agents for making Nadiakora . They are quite sweet made only with sugar and coconut. I still remember when I used to be a child and used to go in bus to Panikoili from Rourkela, I used to gulp down a quite few. My mother would carry some packets of Nadiakora to distribute to all our neighbors.

"Nadiakora"(Coconut Sweets) Sellers infront of the Temple

Its my personal experience that whenever I am in any sort of trouble, I have always turned to Maa Tarini for help and she has always listened to me. Hopefully, her blessings will always be there with me and others…..

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About the Author

Satyesh Naik

I love the colour of Khaki, the dust of forest roads, the Sal laden forests and have a strong feeling that our last wilderness will remain intact & will stand tall despite all the odds. Staying in Hyderabad, I day dream of the Jungles of Odisha. At the slightest opportunity given I try to escape into those unheard and unwritten Forests.